21/11/2024
"This is bigger than me; how do I solve this?"
Is it really?
Is there a time when we do not have to solve problems?
In the early 1990s, a set of Japanese engineers created the high-speed passenger train—the Bullet Train.
It was the world's first high-speed rail line, setting the standard for speed and efficiency in rail travel, but...
It had a problem.
You see, whenever these high-speed trains entered and exited a tunnel, they made loud sonic booms.
A sonic boom is a loud noise that happens when something moves faster than the speed of sound.
The bullet train goes really fast, and once it enters a tunnel, it pushes air in front of it.
And as the train speeds up, the air gets squeezed together, creating a lot of pressure.
When the train comes out of the tunnel, all that compressed air suddenly releases, making a loud "boom" sound—like when you pop a balloon.
It’s like turning on a water hose.
When the water flows out slowly, it comes out smoothly, and you can hear it gently splashing.
But if you suddenly turn the hose on full blast, the water shoots out much faster.
If you try to block the end of the hose with your thumb, the water builds up pressure behind it.
And when you finally remove your thumb, all that built-up water rushes out at once, creating a big splash and a loud noise.
This loud noise particularly disturbed the nearby residents for years.
But where did the solution come from?
It came from the world around.
It came from nature.
Eiji Nakatsu, the Director of Technical Development for the Bullet Train, drew inspiration from the kingfisher bird.
He observed how kingfishers could dive into water at high speeds without creating a splash.
And he went on to conduct experiments with his team to create a better design for the Bullet train.
A better design that not only solved the noise issue but also created another benefit—improved energy usage.
A better design that came to resemble that of a kingfisher's beak.
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One of the key factors in solving a problem is perspective.
Whenever you have a problem, do you consider it "your" problem or one of the "world's" problems?
This is not a technique for shifting responsibility but rather a pathway to understanding Solomon's words.
"What has been will be again,
what has been done will be done again;
there is nothing new under the sun."
This statement sharpens your perspective to see that the problem 'you' are facing is new to you but well-known to the rest of the world.
That is, you can understand your problem, observe the necessary figures or places, and learn from them to create predictable solutions in all aspects of life.
➝ Business
➝ Fitness
➝ Spirituality
➝ and so on.
There is no problem that you face that is bigger than you.
The question to ask yourself is, "What is in front of me that I cannot see?"
And you will get the answer as you learn and observe the world—people, nature, and the past alike.
As always, perspective has always been a blessing and a curse, hasn't it?
-D.O.
